The Tale of Tragic Lovers
by MotherMizu
Summary: Lucy and Natsu are the embodiments of the sun and moon who have been cursed by an evil sorcerer. Natsu as Helios had to wait 1000 years before coming down to reclaim his lover on earth from the man who cursed them. Along the way he makes discoveries in a town that isn't all it seems to be. AU Disclaimer: FT is not mine *edited* NaLu Gruvia GaLe
1. Chapter 1

AN: So I'll be having two stories going after all. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am writing this one.

A/N: Helios is Ancient Greek for sun and Preah is short for Preah Jan which is Cambodian for Moon. I was tired of the dry sun/moon words we have for them in English. I did a little digging to see what they were called in other languages. Their designs as Helios and Preah aren't based off their name's language since the Sun and Moon don't have a direct nationality. They appear as they choose. But for their mortal forms ;) we all know what's up lol

Natsu is going to feel, a little different; but it's because he's Helios who's been around since the existence of earth alongside Preah.

A/N public question: If I put a disclaimer in the summary, should I have a disclaimer for each chapter as well? Is that a safety thing, or is it more for courtesy?

With that, have fun!

Disclaimer: FT is not mine.

* * *

The Tale of Tragic Lovers

Prelude

Long lost legends are like a stream of water, flowing into the depths of the sea. Tales of starcrossed lovers are spoken like echoes faded in transit between families of the ancient past.

This is one of those forgotten legends…

 _His rays cast upon the earth, giving life to every creature in creation and fires to forests so they could be reborn a new. He enjoyed his time from the heavens gracing a glow in every direction, almost too bright for anyone to defy or grow close too._

 _Eventually Helios grew rather lonely, till Preah had been born._

 _Her hair dark as night, reflected each star in the galaxy as her eyes flicked open to reveal the deepest blue, with skin whiter than snow and plush lips were redder than blood itself. She moved with grace while changing the tides, aiding the flow of life._

 _Helios had been enchanted._

 _Dearly wanting to be with this woman, pursued her with all his might._

 _It was not until man walked upon the earth, when her closed heart began to sway, much like her dance during each cycle._

 _Enough magic existed for them to obtain a corporeal form, which is when they began to fight and play in areas untouched by human hands._

 _When civilizations came to pass, is when Preah accepted Helios's adoration and affection._

 _However as magic became less prominent they could no longer meet on earth and they were doomed to forever dance in the sky. They were only able to meet at sunrise and sunset; embracing within a brief moment each painful grueling day._

 _Only on rare occasions could they make love the way they wanted during a solar or lunar eclipse. Man would watch each baffling overpass, blissfully unaware to the veracity of the event._

 _However what little happiness they achieved vanished as a wizard approached; seeing past the façade and into their corporal selves._

 _The wizard fell in love with Preah and wanted her for himself, so he cast a magic spell._

 _Helios could not reach her at sunrise in time to block the indigo beam of smoke that aimed for her heart._

 _There she to fell tragically to the earth._

 _His Moon's body lay forever still, outstretched on the shore of her sea as she evaporated into sparkling foam before his rays._

 _With a mournful yell, plasmatic tendrils outstretched intent on killing everything in his wake._

 _The wizard spoke with a wicked laugh, halting the sun's imminent plan._

 _Preah was alive._

 _Alive but forever cursed to reincarnate without any of her memories._

 _The wizard continued to chuckle with glee, further explaining how he too was going to reincarnate into life after life; so he could forever be with Helios's lover._

 _He vowed on his powers as the sun to come to earth as a mortal, to take back what had been stolen._

 _Helios would have to wait thousands of years before the day would come when he could enact his fury upon the wizard…._

* * *

A sun tendril squirmed and shot like a bullet, reaching the surface of a desert killing everything within a twenty mile radius. Gold, red and orange scripts of every language encircled the figure in its center. If anyone saw they would notice it stand and rise stretching himself out testing each limb for movement. A white scaled scarf wrapped around his neck over a long sleeved black tunic vest, with gold inlay for seams and a deep red belt at his waist reached just below his knees over white pants; cinched at his calf with a black tie with sandals at his feet. His shade of pink hair resembled hues that could only be replicated in the dawn itself. Sharp eyes the color of orange rose gold, scanned the earth before him with snake like pupils.

Next to him a blue creature with wings formed from nothing surrounded by light as he circled about the man's head, using fluffy angel like wings.

"I think you killed everyone…"

Fine lips complimented a defined jawline that could only be described as inhumanly beautiful frowned tersely, then slightly tilted his spikey haired head to the side. "Ah… no…just this area."

Folding in his wings landed hard on the scorched sand now turned to rock. "What am I going to call ya? You can't go by your true name. We don't even know if we can go back…"

Kneeling down, patted the little blue fuzz ball's head lovingly. "I warned you. You still have a chance to go home if you wanted, however you must do it now before the magic disappears completely." Glancing to the side, his "birth ring" began to fade, but not without leaving an imprint.

"Nah wherever you go, I go. I want the missus back just as much as you do. It's no fun without her. We've waited so long for you to gain enough power to become mortal."

Knowing he would never win against his companion sighed. "We just have to find her."

"Do we even know how to find her or…him… for that matter?"

Fangs glistened with balled up fists as fire surrounded his entire body bringing a deadly heat that would melt the skin off anyone normal in seconds.

Flying about in a panic frenzy yelled out at his friend. "WAH! Calm down!"

Yeah he was definitely going to have to control that. Despite being human he noticed he retained most of his powers, even if they were but a margin compared to what they were before. "I guess a telltale sign would be if she can see you." He poked a cute round fluffy white tummy for emphasis.

"But…she won't remember me…" Due to his melancholy, his wings disappeared causing him to drop to the ground rapidly landing on his rump. Becoming depressed at the grim thought, curled his blue tail with a white tip in front of solid blue feet. Tears reached large eyes when he felt himself being lifted in the air by warm strong arms.

"We will get her back! Now for a name…what do you think?"

The cat like creature thought really hard for a moment till a name popped in his mind. "NATSU! We can call you Natsu!"

A strong laugh had been his master's response, bringing a pleasant calm to the pit of his tummy.

Smirking with mirth practically growled and held the odd thing eye level to emphasize his joy. "I like it!" Natsu looked down at the corporal form his friend took and stared at him thinking extraordinarily hard. "I shall name you Happy. Since you make me happy like the season of summer."

Happy hugged the neck of Natsu. "I love that name, but what now? Do you think the others were cast down as mortals also?"

Large hands in proportion to his tanned figure, rubbed the back of his head while still holding Happy, unsure how to answer. "I do not see why they would. Only she and I had been cursed…unless by relation it somehow affected everyone else." His hips rested easily to one side. "Either way, let us go Happy, I have no idea which desert we landed ourselves in. We shall not find out standing here."

 _ **:::***:::**_

He discovered they were in a forest not far from a city called Domhan. Figuring that was a good a place to start as any, progressed. Eventually he passed what looked like a high school when a jolt of pain went through his abdominal area, spreading out like a parasite into his very being. He heard crackling quickly followed by the blinding light from his soul shifting forwards. The ordeal made Natsu have to lean against a wall that lead to the entrance, then everything passed; as if it were never occurred in the first place. "She is here…at this...academy..."

While floating, tiny blue paws tenderly patted the man's muscular back worriedly. "H-how do you know?"

Adjusting himself exhaustively, stood glancing upward as a gust of wind blew leaves past his lower ears. "I just do." He was going to reunite with his lady faster than he thought. "We are enrolling."

Waving his paws in front of Natsu's face thought maybe he lost his mind. "Do you think that's a good idea?"

"I refuse to lose her, and she _is_ here. Besides…" Gesturing towards his person then crossed his arms over his chest smiled proudly with a toothy grin, "I make a passable teenager. I am also dead sexy to boot."

Happy just rolled his eyes. "You know? Your ego didn't change at all, I'm disappointed."

A boisterous laugh escaped fine lips. "You would not want me any other way."

The blue cat closer to the color of cobalt stared at him bored and gave a slow blink shrugging his arms in the process. "Ya wonder why it took her so long to finally warm up to you…I didn't hear the end of it till you finally won her over." He began to ponder something eating away at him. "Hey… you remember when you said nobody could see me except for her?"

Natsu feinted mock hurt. "Aw do not be like that little one and yes, why?"

Happy pointed to everyone crowding around them. "Then why are they staring at us like we're medusa?"

An uh-oh came to mind and walked over blocking Happy from sight, then stuffed his blue friend inside his zipped up vest; earning him a muffled ompf. "I have a few tweaks to make. The hologram is not working right, why did it come out as a talking blue cat instead of a person I will never know!" Shoving his hands inside his white pants pockets, casually left as he felt confused eyes blinking rapidly, he looked back with a subtle wince.

Happy's head popped out with a thumbs up from within his hiding spot. "Bleh I hate it when you stuff me like that! Sweat is gross... but good show, now how do we enroll?"

A mischievous grin went from ear to ear revealing canines more fit for a reptile than a human. "Leave that to me." He hadn't observed man for all this time to come here blind.

 _ **:::***:::**_

A little memory altering, some placement tests and he was good to go. Truthfully he always wondered what going to one of these things had been like. He and his lover would often joke around about "what-if's". Natsu was now more amused that it became a reality.

Happy, who was now invisible thanks to his master's magic, looked on impressed. "I don't think she'd believe it if we told her…"

Natsu looked away from speaking with the principal named Markarov and hissed a shushing sound to him.

"Is there a problem …"

Natsu just placed his hands behind his head lazily. "Not at all sir. There was a fly buzzing in my ear."

Happy glared at his lame excuse. "Dragneel? What kind of sorry last name is that?"

"Do not worry , it is gone now though." A sharp side glance was all it took to shut Happy up for a few seconds.

"Very good, I assume you'll be staying in the dorms?" The old short man scribbled away at papers on his cherry wooden desk within his office and pushed his glasses up against a very fat and large nose, attached to a wide white bearded face.

Natsu thought he was oddly proportioned. "Yes, if that is alright with you."

"I have no problems. Your dorm is called Fairy Tail, yes I know it is odd sounding. Our first principal was tired of having everything named after either Greek or Egyptian gods."

Frankly he barely heard the reason behind it through laughter. "That-that is fine."

The old man glared at him annoyed. "Are you done ."

"Yes, I am sorry. That was a good laugh." He pushed against his chair to lean back a bit.

"Indeed…" Leaving his desk in a wooden wheelchair, pushed himself to where his new student sat giving him all the enrollment papers. "Go to the front desk to get all checked in with your new schedule."

Kneeling down shook the small man's hand. "Thank you kind sir! Oh do we uhh…." He gestured to his odd dress compared to the rest of the school.

"Oh you mean a uniform. Ah yes, your uniform will be at the front desk also. You start your first day tomorrow."

Natsu beamed like the sun with that piece of information.

 _ **:::***:::**_

Later that night in he got situated on a fluffy white mattress and stared at the bright moon longingly, knowing who was supposed to be there, but wouldn't be. She hadn't been there for thousands of years, now it was just an empty rock to him. A reminder of their tragic past.

"I didn't know you had memory altering magic Natsu."

Turning towards his favorite pal smiled with a chuckle, though it wasn't as nearly as carefree. "It was a spell I picked up. Though I have my powers certain spells and magic have a one-time use." Rubbing the top of Happy's head continued. "Fortunately your invisibility spell is simple enough that it can be done and undone at will."

Smiling leaned into his hand almost letting go a mewl. "Do you think we'll see her tomorrow?" For the first time since they've been there his master frowned, revealing who he truly was as the glow in his eyes that he normally carried, dimmed.

With a soft whisper responded. "I hope so Happy." His soul ached for her.

 _ **:::***:::**_

The next day during first period which was ironically World History, he felt that tug on his soul like he did yesterday, though not nearly as painful. The school uniforms were comfortable and they felt close in material to his tunic. He tugged on his black tailed vest that draped behind him with a popped collar and crossed his legs with long white pants under knee high black boots under the cherry wood desk. Despite it being a high school he had to admit it was fairly cozy. Every desk from the teacher's to the principal to the students were all cherry wood. The walls to each classroom had been made of dark oak, instead of cement giving the feel of having class in a log cabin. The girls wore a drop waist dark purple sweetheart top with gold seams, which had quarter length sleeves that revealed their shoulders, paired to a black skirt that went just above their knees with black knee high boots. Each uniform had a small gold logo of a pyramid with a Greek scepter shooting down the middle with swirls coming in and out of the design. He buried his face within the scarf from home during his musings on attire and location.

The teacher with long black hair tied in the back glanced up with sharp green eyes and a strong jaw. He felt exhausted dealing with the obliviousness of his new student. He was forty years old and didn't have time for this nonsense nor the kid's complete disregard for dress code. "Mr. Dragneel?"

Oops he thought he missed his name call. "Yes."

"Please I must insist you remove the scarf, it's against dress code."

Stupid human rules, he sighed and removed the scarf as per requested.

"Thank you." Resuming down the line alphabetically went ahead and marked down that Natsu was indeed in his class then went to where he left off previously. "Lucy Heartfilia?"

"Here."

The sound of her voice echoed deep within him, the very nature of it made his blood cry for her to speak again in case he was hearing things.

The Teacher Mr. Lang marked her down. "I request you show our new student around."

"Yes sir."

He turned his head as if someone tried to snap his neck. There she was, he could feel within every bone of his body. Black hair of night reflecting the galaxies, traded in for a very soft light blonde that was practically white, deep ocean blue eyes turned to a milk chocolate brown, however her face there was no mistake. It was his lover. He had to reel back remembering she doesn't remember a thing, which tore at him. He decided to play this off as if he were meeting her for the first time. In a way, he was.

Their eyes met, and for a brief instance he swore he thought recognition dart across her beautiful features. The world stood still as if time stopped, till she looked away with a blush on her face.

Natsu thought to himself in that very instant, he would make sure she would fall in love with him again.

His plan would start today.


	2. Chapter II- Fateful Introduction

A/N: Well so much has happened within such a short period, I ended up going on a hiatus. However I had a couple reviews and both of them told me not to drop it and how much they loved this particular story. I felt touched and since I went on vaca for three days to my favorite river, I've been taking time to write for not only this story but chapter 11 for TLDE too. Part of the crazy that happened was my actual legitimate and very real soulmate and I, had been brought together. Our story is a miracle in itself. So without further or due the story, and thank you for being so patient with me.

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Chapter II

Fateful Introduction

All day, all damn day bad things have been happening. From the dorm's water heater busting, to catching her skirt on thorn bushes (which were scattered all throughout campus to deter outsiders), then getting drenched with muddy water at the gate (because a car happened to pass through the only puddle in sight). Hoping that would be the end of it, slipped into a ditch.

Struggling to stand back up reflected on how her entire life had been filled with bad luck; even before she could remember. The result was believing some higher being must have cursed her to some damning fate she was yet unaware of. Lucy gave up for a bit and sat bitterly remembering her morbid past. Those very rich and doting parents, died very early in her toddler years from the same type of illness they got while in another country. They were replaced with an aunt, who for lack of better words, was slowly losing her mind. After finally getting free of the ditch, walked on auto pilot continued her muttering in a daze as she approached the academy gates.

"Then there was the bullying, the thefts from my locker, my dog dying and all in the same week…" Speaking of bullying, her back was shoved causing her to tumble forward."….Ow…."

"Hey, looking blue this fine morn." The end of his sentence seeped of venom.

And then there was this asshole, Kinto Dreyar. He stalked and pushed her around since she came to this academy two and a half years ago. Now in their Jr year it was worse than ever. Kinto got off on calling her his moon and whatnot. Lucy wanted nothing more than to punch his block off, but refrained because he was one of two sons of Makarov. Kinto had straight black hair, stunning blue eyes though a bit heavier in build. Not quite fat, but heavy. Ironically enough he was second most popular in school to Grey.

"Yeah, yeah…" Dusting off, didn't so much as spare a glance in his direction and stalked off up the stairs to the door, when her backpack was pulled from her shoulders then thrown to the bottom. Sighing with now scraped up knees and palms, went over to it and picked it up like it was always there, and went further into the school refusing to feed into Kinto's shenanigans. This aggravated him more, prompting him to throw a rock at her head, which she dodged with ease. After constantly getting rocks thrown at her by said man for the past two and a half years, she developed that little life-saving reflex. He continuously yelled profanities, called her names to which she turned bite her thumb at him, then ran for first class making it to her seat just as the bell rung.

The Professor in his monotone voice, went down the line when a new name popped up, Natsu Dragneel. That's a name if she ever heard one. "Lucy Heartfilia" there it was, "Here."

"I request you show our new student around." After giving said student a once over further declared, "And please clean up, your uniform is muddy and in shambles. Don not come back till after you fix yourself up, and the mandatory tour."

Then there was that, of all the days including being drenched in water, dirt and blood it had to be today. However obediently obliged her professor, but not without a curt tone at the end of his name. "Yes Mr. Lang."

Lucy prayed to whatever was above that this kid wasn't another asshole. Peering in his direction caught his eyes and developed a deep feeling in her gut that she knew him, which scared and confused her all at the same time. The other half of her told her this man was trouble and to be weary. Perhaps it was the part that had been terrified of that instant connection.

"Natsu, Lucy, if you two are done staring at each other like long lost lovers" pausing for emphasis heard his class laugh with a few passing giggles "you may be dismissed as per regulatory procedures for a new student." He then faced the black board, "As for the rest of you, turn to page 34 titled "The Dark Ages of Earthland", follow exercises 1-10 and turn in either after class today or at roll call tomorrow. Mr. Dragneel before you go, just for today you are exempt from this assignment; but see me for your alternative assignment before the end of the day."

Exceptionally disgruntled, grinded her teeth against a retort, but relaxed after hearing they were exempt from homework. "Yes sir." Picking up her backpack finally, slung it over her shoulder and casually glanced over at him. "Please follow me."

"Aye aye." He felt thrilled when catching that flash of recognition previously, the bonus was he nailed her as his tour guide. This day was a win for him. Once they were out of the classroom he immediately went into his first part of the plan. Befriending her. "Soooo, do they always pick you to take the newbie around?"

"Not usually no, it just so happens that I'm caught up in my work with an A in the class and can afford to be your guide. They usually pick the student within the top ten students overall. I happen to be third out of that number."

Whistling, sped up his pace to walk backwards in front of her, "Then who is the top two?"

"Can you please-"

"Use Natsu." He beamed enjoying himself and calmly placed his arms behind his head.

"...Newbie...please stop that... To answer your question, they're the most popular and unlikely students."

"Names, dear."

After hearing him call her such an endearing term, with a touch of huskiness, halted in her tracks. She vehemently threw her very heavy pack towards him. "Don't call me that."

It was a simple task to catch her pack before it hit him. "What? Dear? What's wrong with that?"

"I barely know you, that's why. Do you want this tour or not?"

Natsu realized he slipped at the tone and how it may have come across. "My apologies, to show my sincerity how about I carry this for you?"

"N-no, you don't have to go that far."

"Please, let me do this much. I am asking."

Never in her life has someone been so forward in such a blunt way. "You're so...weird..." Scrunching her face at him, crossed her arms over her well-endowed chest and contemplated. "If it means _that_ much to you."

"It does."

"Then newbie…follow me this way to your next class. We must go to each Professor on your schedule in order, they'll give us a pass and a check-mark to the next location. This way you get acclimated on your first day, so if you're late on the second, you have no excuses. Most students that go here, are high achievers and can remember where everything is after their first day. Some professors give you a break on your second or third day, others are vicious enough to kick you out of class if you are a second late."

"Yeowch, that sucks."Up to that point Happy had been so good nestled quietly on top of his head, invisible to the world. So why couldn't SHE see or hear him; unless that part of her got buried after all these centuries and wasn't easily accessible.

Natsu was so deep into thought he missed her hand wave back and forth in his face. "Huh what?"

"I said I need your schedule. You're so weird, do you always space out this often."

"Yeah, when I am in space."

That quip almost got her. "Riiiiggghhht, it seems for whatever reason they decided to give you the same classes I do. That works out for you then, you won't have to worry about being late."

He wasn't passing this chance up as he gracefully side stepped behind her, for a chance at a new intimate moment.

"What're you doing? You're too close."

Or not. "Relax, I was just trying to see what you were seeing. That is all. Are you always this temperamental?"

New student or not, her fist flung on reflex then spoke through gritted teeth. "I don't regret punching you, come on newbie next class is Sciences in the Natural World." Before pressing onward, she rudely snatched her pack back from Natsu.

He remembered that punch like it was yesterday, any brief doubt vanished instantly. His moon would punch him all the time in the beginning, he'd say something "smart" and would receive a nice right hook because of it. Natsu chuckled darkly as he got up off the floor with expert ease.

He stood there massaging his cheek barely phased physically."Excellent punch, good strong arm too."

"Are you seriously complimenting me right now?"

"Yes."

A heavy sigh released, then she stopped to stare directly into his eyes baffled for all she was worth. "What _are_ you? You're so bizarre."

He paused with enchantment, his heart beat as fast as it did when he first saw her corporeal form. How badly he wanted to touch her cheek and ebb away any hurt she may have; how painful it was to know he couldn't push things just yet. He clenched his hands into fists and released them in preparation for an answer that would kill his body and spirit.

"I am going, to be your best friend."

Lucy wasn't prepared for that answer, nor was she prepared for the hidden depth those words had. This enigma of a man had her stumped, enough so to go blank while fishing for any kind of response, which was to blink at him. Dragneel wasn't hitting on her exactly and he had only been nice to her; she made the decision to give him a chance.

"Let's start with acquaintances first, and go from there…" To her shock and horror this somber boy from two seconds ago, clamped on her arms and began to bounce up and down like a rabbit.

"I WILL TAKE IT!"

"Then we need to stop screwing around and get this tour done and over with deal? NO MORE DISTRACTIONS…please?"

"Deal!"

::***::

Their day went on without too much trouble except for one incident with Natsu during lunch. The boy tried to request every side in the line, making for a very difficult lunch period. Other than that, it went smoothly. Heartfilia was able to change into her spare uniform she kept in her locker right after. They even got their alternate assignment with ease, till the end of the school day where he would not relent.

"PLEEEAAASSSEEEE LUCY! Let me go with you!"

"For the last time, NO!"

"Why nooooot?"

"Because it's a girl's dorm only!"

"Awww that does not matter, I shall be your ninja!" He pulled his scarf out of his bag, after stuffing it in there when he and Lucy were getting ready for their tour from AP English, only to wrap it around his face and head three times.

"Do you wanna get labeled stalker after your first day?"

"No."

"Then don't push it."

"Alright, alright fair enough." Unraveling himself from the scarf, mumbled under his breath to where only happy could hear, "You used to like it when I stalked you…" However not low enough.

"What was that you just said?!"

"NOTHING!"

"You said something…" She didn't know what, but she'll make damn sure he tells her.

"Fine, I said that I would rather be a stalker than lose you as a friend." Thinking to himself it wasn't a bad cover up, not nearly close enough, but hoped it would deter from what he really had spoken.

"That's actually kinda sweet."

Natsu couldn't help the toothiest grin bolstered by his natural warmth, making his skin nearly glow.

For the umpteenth time today, she was taken off guard and flustered. "Look, how about we start spending our lunches together okay?"

Not much, but Natsu decided once again he'll take whatever he can get. "Yeah, I would like that. Can I at least walk you to your dorm?"

Thinking about it realised she was still weary, however knowing Kinto would be out soon figured it was the better option. "Yeah, yeah you can."

"Sweet, I will tell you all about our first day of school."

A merry laugh escaped her lips. "You're exhausting!"

Finally, he got to hear her laugh and it was as melodic as he could remember.


	3. Chapter 3-When Reincarnation Fails

A/N: Hello everyone! Wow I have gotten more favorites and follows than I could have ever expected for this story! So thanks guys! At some point (when I have time) I want to do individual shout outs for this story like I am able to do with TLDE.

Also more shout outs to my ghosters! If you've seen my first story and know what I mean great! If not, then its a loving term for those who browse through. I was a ghoster myself at one point. Now I have my own account and writing.

Also if you are in NC or any of the hurricane zone states, STAY SAFE this chapter and last chapter for TLDE is for you guys.

Disclaimer: On with the story. I don't own FT

* * *

Chapter 3

When Reincarnation Fails

Lucy woke up with her friend Levy poking her. "Lucy…"

"Hhhnnrrrnnn" swatting in her wake as she tossed about.

"Psst…hey Lucy...wake up…"

Lucy further buried herself under her pillow and soft cozy blankets. She showered the night before, bed sheets were clean and it felt as though the entirety of her body was a warm cinnamon bun engulfed by warmth and comfort. This wake-up thing wasn't going to happen and decided that budging an inch, was a no go.

Levy got fed up with it, and stripped the blond girl clean of her super fluffy blue comforter. "Wake up!" It caused the woman to land on the floor.

"AARRUUGHH, WHAT?! This better be good Levy, its Saturday!"

"Someone has been waiting for you since six this morning. He's handsome, I might add. Though…" Levy made a noise close to disapproval, but the intent was more curious than anything. "I have to wonder if that pink hair on a man is natural…."

"Pink-pink hair?" Lucy looked mortified. "Oh no…"

Using her index pointed at her friend curiously. "I take it you know mystery man."

Lucy picked up her comforter and wrapped herself up into a burrito and buried herself underneath all her bedding. "Ugh, just kill me now."

But to Levy it sounded more like _Umgn mill moo nya_. "What? You want to kill a cow?"

"Uuugggghhnnn ehhh heeeee"

Blue hair brushed over a raised eyebrow at the talking ball of fluff, when brown eyes saw part of the girls' purple underwear laden butt uncovered. Her literature filled brain dawned a very wicked idea.

"Yeow! Yeesh, what was that for Levy?" Rubbing her sore rump after being rat tailed with a black towel on the floor, still cold and damp from a late-night shower, glared at her best friend.

After sucking in air and crossing her arms with her hip popped out to one side, gave the blonde woman a small lesson in etiquette. "Lucy Luna Heartfilia! When a very good-looking man waits for you, _FOR YOU_ , you greet him like a lady." Levy sighed and gently touched Lucy's shoulder. "Look, I know making friends has been hard. You have me, but I think having a male friend on your side may not be too bad, ya know. Sure, it might be, a tiny bit…odd... that he's here so early in the morning, but I have a feeling this one is okay."

"That's not like you, normally you're like "creeper alert" and give me a baseball bat to protect myself."

"I know, I just have a really good feeling about it. Something about him, its calming. Look I _was_ like that at first, I went ahead and spoke to him before I got you up. I even had my batt ready, but after about three hours of talking to him I knew he was okay. He honestly has no intention of harming you. He genuinely cares."

Lucy bent forward in a nice long stretch and then put her feet on warm fuzzy blue carpet. "Well your judgment isn't normally wrong…wait how can you tell in just three hours? Creepers can hide anything. And just how long have you been up?"

"I was up all-night reading, went out to see the sunrise just as he was walking up, looked pretty nervous too. I ran back to get the bat ready to strike, when he went on his knees, then I asked him to state his reasons. That's when we got into conversation, but believe me he knows I'm watching. Would you want me to tag along?"

Lucy knew that was a genuine question, and honestly it would make her feel better if her short bestie went along. "Would you mind?"

Levy gave a hearty yawn. "Not at all, I'll go ahead and get changed. Besides tomorrow is Sunday, I can fix my sleeping schedule tonight before Monday."

Right when Lucy started to move, Levy turned around and pointedly told her that she better be ready when she gets back. The blondie just gave a tired laugh and looked through her black blinds she spray painted so sunlight couldn't come through. It took him three days to show up at her dorm all by himself. She honestly was expecting this much sooner, but he held out till today. "So Natsu, you really are intending to do this huh…well let's see how today goes."

::**::

Eventually Levy and Lucy met up with Natsu as he was dozing off against the gated entrance. "Mmm, well there you are. Took you long enough."

Levy snickered, "Yeah well, I had to get miss blondie up from her bed chambers."

"Oh, I see. That is alright." He stretched his back from laying against a stone wall, very similarly to Lucy, unbeknownst to him, just a few short moments prior. "You are coming too then Levy?"

"If you don't mind." The similarity did not go unnoticed by her.

The biggest grin matched the glow, ending a very fantastic sunrise, like a rainbow exploded in the sky. "More the merrier."

Levy slightly blushed, "Yeah, sure no problem." She whispered into Lucy's ear, "I see what you mean about him being overzealous with simple things. It's weird."

Blonde hair whipped around as she whispered back, "I told you!"

"If you two are done chatting amongst yourselves, can we go? I am hungry."

Levy took it upon herself to loop her arms around both her companions. "We got a lot to show you buddy."

They walked towards the city as the sun finished rising.

::**::

Somewhere in the oldest parts of the Academy, lay a very lithe figure with a mind as dark and cruel as the blackest hole in space. "I haven't seen a sunrise that bright in thousands of years…"

The man reiterated what he said in his head. The trouble is, he would have thoughts like this constantly. Of different life times, being reincarnated over and over. Always with a similar personality. Though once he somehow ended up as krill and had been eaten by a beluga whale within 30 seconds after reaching adulthood in that life; somehow the curse led him astray that time.

In the past, before his recent awakening, he would have episodes of sporadic images dating thousands of years flooding his head. His body would barely keep up and regularly go into seizures. His parents took him to the neurologist and received a diagnosis of epilepsy. Taking a pill a day was nauseating to him; till a month ago when purple smoke enshrouded him for three days; which terrified his parents. When he woke up, he felt like a new person and realized why he suffered as he did. Though his parents started to keep an unnatural distance from him; however to him that wasn't a complaint. It gave him room to do whatever he so pleased.

"Fucking pills, glad to be rid of them, now this sunrise is a new matter. In all this time, not once did I ever find her. How is it that MY curse went astray?" He held his head as more purple smoke seeped out of his skin, pungent and itchy. Every time, his body would twitch, not yet used to having his powers back as weak as they were. With each life he reincarnated, his power would dwindle, now it's less than half of where he used to be. "WHEN WILL IT STOP?!" After writhing around for an hour, settled down again; his chest felt like it was on fire. "I can't tell if it's getting better...or worse..."

It dawned on him as the sun grew bright that his mortal body hasn't caught up with being reawakened yet. While laying down, faced toward wooden walls, the suns rays felt…empty, that it lacked a certain flare.

"What's this about, did the imbecile finally die off? Hah...serves him right…"

Despite what he wanted to believe, somewhere in his being, dreaded the worst.

* * *

I don't know if I did a review response for my reviewers on this story. If not I do apologize!

 **okaysunshine:** I'm so happy you love it that much! And there's a small taste of who the dark wizard could be. It might be OC ;)

 **ThayetJade:** *giggles* I don't know about perfect, but yes there's more coming.

 **IngRams12s:** Don't worry, this story won't be abandoned. I've actually been on a roll posting this at the same time as my other one.


	4. Chapter 4-Tour of Town

A/N: In light of the Hurricane I hope everyone is okay within the impact zones. I did do a bit of research for this chapter to make it a little more meaty, but I also feel this is my favorite one so far.

Time for shout-outs to my peeps who favorite the story: **Celistastar, CeriseUnderwood1996, JinxTitan, Kirinah, Kisa7221, Lilith Jae, Loso, Lucy the queenofstars, Melsono, Nalu1411, Ray Akaba 210, SoraSoraNoMi, VivaslosTacos21, Waywardpie, Blackdragondemonise10, bluegamergirl11, booklover551, cureheart1023, okaysunshine, onelongstarrynight and zooeyandvincy** you guys are awesome!

My shout out to my followers will be on the next chapter and then I'll have caught up. If you want to know the website I got my information from I'm posting it at the end of the chapter after my review responses.

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Chapter 4

Tour of Town

Since leaving they stopped at every open food vendor. It was odd to both girls how much "mystery man" could eat. It was a bit funny that every experience they had together Natsu acted like a child in a candy shop. They walked into many different stores and places till finally came upon a museum of lore; built with statues of different deities from different cultures made of fired colored clay to give an accurate representation of each figure. Natsu looked at the one with Ra, the sun god, and pressed the button for information on it. A woman's voice with an English accent came through the speaker:

 _"The Egyptian god Ra was the creator of all gods including man and nature. Every god in Egyptian lore has a part of him, as well as he is all of them. Ra's falcon head on top of a human body, is believed to represent how sacred animals were to the ancient Egyptians. He's also been depicted with a serpent, heron, bull, lion, cat, beetle, phoenix and others; but is more widely known with a falcon and his sun disk. His mythology was to sail in a boat called "Barque of Millions of Years" during the day. At the end of the day, it was written that Ra left the moon in charge since he was eaten by Nut. However, that isn't the end of Ra. During his time in "death" he would travel to the underworld and fight his greatest enemy; an evil serpent named Apep lord of Chaos. In some endings Ra defeats the serpent as Mau, the cat. This is one of many reasons why cats are so respected in Egyptian culture. "_

At the end of the sentence the voice died out and all was silent once more, as he stared at the statue in disgust at how wrong man was. He was depicted as many things, but a god he was not. He had been born into this world by another force, what's even more tragic was to him, the relationship he had with his moon was way more than what humans could ever realize. None of them had any idea what thousands upon thousands of years would do to a man as he had to wait and watch time go by till the timing was right.

Levy approached him uncertaintly. "Uuuuhhhh… Natsu?"

"They were wrong you know. The Egyptians were far off the mark, oh well I always liked their fashion, knowing how to dress is important. Even back then in ancient societies. I felt bad for the Greek gods though. I never liked togas."

I don't think the scholar in training, nor her female counterpart expected that kind of answer. "You act like you were there."

He shrugged his shoulders and gave a look to both girls with incredibly sharp eyes, that could speak of stories centuries upon centuries old. Then shrugged it off as if it was nothing. "Do I? Ah well probably just a theory."

Lucy was dumbfounded, she felt a warm shiver down her spine as if she should know what he was talking about; which perplexed her even more. "If...you say so. Hey wanna get out of here? I know a park not far we can walk through."

::**::

The park was unlike any he knew man could pull off. The park was filled with oak trees, nut trees, cherry blossom trees, maple trees, fruit trees and flowers of all species for added color. Wind picked up and caused maple leaves to dance beneath an elderly couple's feet while they sat on a wooden bench, acting like newlyweds that never saw trouble in their lifetime. Both girls stopped and admired swooning.

Lucy noticed in her peripheral vision how somber Natsu became, not noticing the weather shift even though his scarf fluttered about at his back. He gazed at the old couple longingly. She walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

Unfortunately to poor Natsu that light tap was filled with a natural electricity due to her latent magic. "Ow."

The girl in question sucked on her finger puzzled, its happened to her on occasion but this felt…deeper. "You okay, didn't mean to electrocute you."

"Nah, no sweat. So, what else is there to do in this town? It is midday, the sun is healthy, and the weather is clear."

Levy had been watching them like an owl of Athena and decided she was comfortable enough leaving these two alone for a bit. She wanted to do research on Natsu and where he could have come from. Approaching them both from behind made her presence known since they seemed to have forgotten her momentarily. "Actually, I'm going to leave. I have some things that need to be done in my room to prepare for the week."

A little disappointed and concerned, Lucy gave her an expression asking if this was a good idea. Fortunately, they've been friends long enough that Levy responded in such a fashion dictating that it was fine.

Natsu was oblivious to the whole exchange and said his goodbyes with his hands behind his head. "Ya know, she reminds me of someone…"

"I can't fathom who. Come on, there's more to see newbie." For emphasis Lucy began tugging on his arm back in the direction of the old couple.

Touch. Touch was good and to him she seemed a little more relaxed, but not enough. "Newbie? When will you start using my name?"

"When I feel like it."

"You are willingly touching me."

Her whole curvy being stopped dead in her tracks as she instantly let go as though she held something dangerous. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize."

Happy for the first time, bored out of his mind, spoke up. "Nice going, now she'll never touch you again." The poor blue cat who could fly, had been tagging along from the start, invisible, per his master's wishes.

Natsu was the only the one who could hear it, or so he thought.

"Did you say something Newbie?"

His eyes widened alongside his hitched breath, feeling like the world stopped. Even Happy went still.

"Eh, I guess not. Come on…lets go." Delicate hands went into a warm jacket she had pulled from around her waist, since the air started to cool down.

"So where are we going?"

"The movies."

His shaken demeanor went right out the window when he heard movies. Running up grabbed her wrist and began to drag Lucy in the direction she had them heading.

Her blonde head drooped in defeat realizing that she'd never be able to keep up with this boy. Fortunately, her gut instinct to wear black jeans and steel toed boots gave room for whatever activity they may encounter; that now included jogging into an almost run.

"Do you have ANY idea where we're going, do you even know where the theater is?"

Natsu didn't care, not by a long shot and reacted on impulse by picking her up bridal style to run there. "Nope, but that is okay, we will figure it out together."

This man she knew for less than three days had the audacity to carry her and tell her that they'll "find" the movies. "Put me down."

"Nope."

"Put me down."

"Nope."

Lucy felt her right eye twitching and when she went to hit him, Natsu caught her wrist then boldly intertwined their fingers.

"I am not going to let you go so easily." He caught himself again, swallowed his pride then added. "I can get us there faster this way."

Lucy wasn't going to stand for it, she planned to kick him then ditch him there, till he spoke his declarations. Which caused a sudden peace that overwhelmed her entire being replacing her irritation.

"Alright fine but," Natsu was too busy watching her and not where he was going.

He got a face full of tree branches and leaves knocking them both to the ground.

"Watch where you're going if you decide to carry someone!"

"Oh well, tell me how we get to the movies."

After brushing herself off and checking for scrapes or tears, began walking in the same direction she was being carried in. "You have a good nose, its actually right this way."

The park wasn't far from the city mall, which is where Magnolia's most popular theater was. While walking in silence side by side, a maple leaf with changes in its color drifted in front of Lucy's hand, allowing her to catch it gently in mid-air. "You know, this land has always been weird."

Natsu stayed quiet, afraid she wouldn't say anymore, and to his relief Lucy continued.

"Earthland has had quite a few continental shifts, the desert used to be an ocean, now it's a wasteland. It was said the continent that we live on, was close to the equator but shifted through time closer to the north. The town of Domhan is closer to the forest but you have to walk weeks through a forest before anyone can get here. Like our own personal hidden location, but we still get all kinds of strange weather. It will rain on one side of the city with a torrential downpour that causes flooding but look like a drought on the other. That's just in the summer time. Winter is more consistent and a little scarier. One year there was two or three months with constant snow and frequent blizzards. We have heating generators built into the streets that kick in to keep the snow down so the city doesn't turn into a frozen relic…"

Her voice trailed off, he could tell she has had some lonely nights in her past. What concerned him was how freaky the weather got, he was surprised they hadn't suffered from some nasty tornadoes.

"What about now?"

"Since we can't count on our weather system, I go by the month and since its September I say we're going to get really close to Fall. It's only in the summer when our freakazoid weather patterns happen. It's not unheard of for them to happen during fall or winter, just less likely. We all look forward to it because it gives the city consistency."

"Even if it means dangerous weather?"

"We are resilient, we have a course of action for any given situation. Ah we're here."

"I want to see a horror movie!"

She sighed unable to say no to this man. "Of course you do."

Natsu's attitude made it seem like he could start bouncing off the walls any second.

The theater was made of marble and looked like a mini Egyptian palace with two Anubis statues on either side to the entrance. The custodian's window had been fashioned to replicate the Forties, the man's attire was dressed to match the era's bellhop. He had a red button-down shirt, with gold trimming.

Black hair, dark eyes and an attitude that spelled boredom. "Welcome to Anubis Theater, let the magic of movies sweep your soul away."

"Hey Gray, two tickets to "Tale of Two Sisters" please."

"Oh hey Luce, no problem that'll be fifteen tikkers. Who's this weirdo. He looks like he just ate a mountain of sugar."

"He's our new classmate, he goes to our school his name is Natsu. Say hello Natsu."

Natsu already didn't like the look of this guy and it simmered his excitement down. "How do you know Lucy?" This earned him a smack upside the head.

"Pay him no mind Gray."

"Whatever, enjoy your movie. Ah, before you go, wanna go hang? I'm off about the same time the movie is done."

"Nah I have to show this weirdo around. He's okay, I promise."

"Uh huh. I'll give you a call later, that okay?"

"Sure thing."

Finally getting their seating in and snacks prepared sat into comfortable reclining seats.

It was irking him. This Gray fellow had a super close relationship to his moon. He gently nudged her shoulder then thumbed back in the direction. "Hey, who was that guy…and what are tikkers?"

"Relax, that's Gray he and I have been looking out for each other since grade school. We're more like siblings than anything else. It's just we have opposite schedules and opposite classes so we don't see each other much. Tikkers are our money system. There's no taxes or cents here and everything is a flat fee. We have a different worth for each tikker piece." Lucy pulled a handful of colorful rich crystals of blue, red and yellow, crafted into perfect thin circles. Pointing to each piece explained what the colors meant. "The blue one is counted as a five-piece tikker. The red ones are ten-piece and yellow is twenty-piece. There are other colors that aren't here; like orange is a fifty-piece, white is a hundred-piece, purple is one thousand and a black tikker is one million piece. You really are new, aren't you?"

Natsu understood the currency well enough but only commented on his first question."So…he is not your betrothed?"

Lucy had to stop and process that for a minute. "Be-BETROTHED?!" She ended up going into a fit of laughter. "The day Gray and I date is the day that the sun turns into a human and pops from the sky."

The blonde woman had no idea how much that statement scared Natsu. "What if that actually happens."

"Point is, won't happen. I don't see him that way. What if…you're so weird sometimes, Now, shhh…movie is starting."

During the movie Lucy got scared out of her wits while clinging onto Natsu in the process, not that he minded, and they got out around closer to late afternoon.

"Hey Lucy, does this mean we can be friends now?" Hearing her giggle at the sudden question wasn't the response he expected.

"What do you think Natsu?"

At the use of his name he gave a tender smile filled with relief.

* * *

Research link: www. ancient- egypt -online egyptian-god-ra. html

Review response: **Celeste20** \- Love, thank you so much for your review and it does my heart good to know that you and others are enjoying it as much as you are. I do hope to push this story further as best as I can.


	5. Chapter 5-Monsters Suck

A/N: I officially am changing the name of the currency. I named it off the top of my head, however when I started reading the second Harry Potter book (for the first time in my life mind you and with a year in between from reading the first one) I realized what they meant. I honestly had no idea. From now on the currency will be called tikkers which actually feels more right for this little AU I'm creating.

Now for shout outs and personal thank you's: **FairyTail9908, Roxie14, Marudiaz, tkitty23, Avetho** and **PerfectlyStrange.** It makes me so happy that you guys are enjoying it as much as you are.

Also as promised my personal thank you to my followers: **Benzy5115, Forgottenwulfe, blackdragondemonise10, fairytalesandreality, skelekc, Fairytailfanatic123, Lucy Usui, Lucy the queenofstars, MPHBC, SoraSoraNoMi, okaysunshine, Kirinah, mizuki-ryuuzaki, VivaLosTacos21, cjoy3646, Lilith Jae, Melsono,** **NuttieNyxie, Loso, booklover551, MissAlexxis, CeriseUnderwood1996, hapiflower, onelongstarrynight, Kisa7221, Ray Akaba 210, EnkuP, rigaryuna, takeagamble27, AbstractAbsent-mind, Celistastar, Karsyn1p2, NaLu1411, cureheart1023, FairyTail9908, Mekutakito, Valerie Gambino-Snyder, jachyra84, marudiaz, tkitty23, Avetho, Kimiga, Roxie14** and **SaraphinaK!**

Disclaimer: The story is mine the characters are not.

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Chapter 5

Monsters Suck

Three months since Natsu entered her world, one month in that time since she started seeing…things. Things she couldn't explain, particularly around the enigma. Lucy swore her mind cracked, when she caught glances of an invisible outline with a blue color, hanging around him. Like now while sitting across from him at the cafeteria next to Levy, watched as the invisible thing floated around his head.

Levy noticed the odd behavior and stopped eating her green bento of onigiri. "You okay over there?"

Lucy sat with her fork midway to her mouth watching it bounce around, float, do twirls. "Uh-huh."

Pink hair that couldn't be concealed by magic, watched with now brown eyes because of said magic, noticed. How could he not because she made it so damn obvious. He decided that the best course of action would be to play it off with a cool attitude. "You look like you're looking at a ghost." He finally mastered relaxed speech. The teens here were weary of him for weeks because he spoke so properly. He decided a change was in order.

"Uh-huh."

A deep masculine voice came in from behind them. "Since when, do you see ghosts Lucy?"

Turning to face him ignored the inquiry, not wanting to explain nor admit it herself. "Hey Gray, been a while since I've seen you during lunch hour."

He waved it off and laid down next Lucy with his feet at her thigh. "Eh, Mr. Dacker needed help grading papers in AP science. I'm the only student he doesn't have in any of his classes and being the nice guy I am, helped him out. You must be Natsu, haven't seen you around either." With his arms behind his head chewed on a toothpick he swiped from the lunch-line previously.

Lucy decided to answered, figuring it would be better if she did. "That's because he's usually in class playing catch-up from the first half of the semester. He finally caught up yesterday and is free to play with the rest of us."

"Sweet." He stared at the empty ceiling bored, but thought of what would normally be a genuine concern. "Any trouble with Kinto?"

Leaning back to see his face, gave a fatigued response laced with a hint of relief. "No, he hasn't been bothering me since Natsu's been walking me home."

"Oh yea, forgot you told me."

It bothered the hell out of Natsu. Something about this character reminded him too much of a certain winter spirit. At the time he always felt that he was his greatest rival and even though he hated to admit it, his closest friend. The few times they met on earth was to battle, especially when they argued over who's seasons were whose. Particularly spring. Spring and Summer were his domain; but winter would somehow manage to go past it's "due date" making the season longer than need be.

It didn't make sense why Gray looked and acted so much like him, as far as he knew the others weren't affected by the curse. 'Then again…' he thought and realized he hasn't seen nor heard from the other "spirits" in centuries. It could be that the curse had a delayed effect. Natsu decided to find out in the only way he knew how.

"Eh, I'll get to top class in no time."

"Ha ha, that's rich. No way you can get to my level."

"Tch, listen to this ice-cube acting all high and mighty."

Gray bounced up instantly at the bizarre insult. "Ice-cube… _ICE-CUBE_?!"

"You heard me, your attitude is colder than dry ice in subzero temperatures."

Lucy was about to step in when the oddest thing happened, Gray who was normally so calm, collected and mature rose to the bait.

"Now listen to me flame brain. You think that you, a newbie, can come into _MY_ school and challenge _ME_ like that? You have another thing coming."

"Yeah, I'm challenging you for top spot." Natsu stretched and watched Gray calculatingly with one eye open. "I'll get there in no time, all my teachers tell me I have straight A's."

"You wanna have a go? I bet you cheated and are nothing but hot air and melted bronze."

Natsu's response was a dangerous grin that showed off his unusually pointed canines. His magic could hide many of his otherworldly features, but teeth wasn't one of them.

Lucy stood up with her back straight as the bad insults started to grate on her nerves. Unable to contain her anger snapped at both of them, hitting them both in the head hard enough to get their attention."Alright! That's enough! You're starting to scare both Levy and I." For emphasis pointed to a very dark spot in the cafeteria. "Knock it off or I'll send you both to the corner." Lucy thought that might set them straight for a bit, it was a gamble on her part, so she waited for the results.

In unison both Gray and Natsu replied with a "yes mam", which satisfied her.

"Good, now let us go Levy, we need to leave these two love birds alone."

Weirdly they were again in unison. "We are _NOT_ love birds."

Delectate hands waved them off as her soft voice retorted from afar. "Could have fooled me."

Levy waved them off herself, a little freaked out by the display. When they were out of the cafeteria and back down the hallway made of dark oak, wooden floors, built in lockers with rose gold lining around the door to each one, she finally spoke out of fake concern. "You don't think they're gay, do you?"

Laughter ensued from both girls, but Lucy did manage to respond after about a minute. "No, but that was strange. It had me questioning them too. What lame insults."

The young scholar began to mock them as the young writer joined in pretending to be Natsu.

 _::***::_

Damn club meetings. Since she was part of a literature's club on Tuesday her and Levy would normally leave around five; but today Lucy needed to stay later to catch up on homework and lost track of time getting out closer to nine. Exiting the now closed library, noticed how dark it became and suddenly missed Natsu. She now felt spoilt with him walking her home all the time, her demeanor saddened as she hugged herself close against the biting cold, doubting he waited for that long and figured he went ahead on without her. She didn't want to bother calling Gray and regretted telling Levy to leave without her.

Brown eyes skimmed the area, only now noticing the school's age. In this instant more than ever, she was positive it was haunted. Everything looked like light had vanished, replaced by the thickest ink on dead leaves, that long lost their color. Even worse, the street lights close to the school building, were out. Struggling to see anything put her hand in front of her, fumbling about.

Whispering to herself, trembled as the damp air bit through her clothes, making it feel as if she were naked and bare. Struggling with shaky legs, began to jitter with intensity when a hearty gust of icy wind blew against her uniform and deep blue scarf. "Where is Natsu when you need him…" Deciding she didn't have a choice, began a slow lonely trek home, when anxiety kicked in causing her pace to quicken.

Finally about to turn the corner of the gate, picked up a long figure moving in the shadows walking backwards on its hands and knees. The only source of light was far in the distance down the road, illuminating just enough to reveal unwanted details. It had long stringy dead black hair and white circles in place of its eye sockets. Lucy froze as it slowly turned then changed speed, just as a hand grabbed her shoulder back through the gate and pinned her to the wall.

A strong hand covered her mouth while putting an index finger in a shushing sound and shook their head no to keep her from screaming, hoping she could see it. He watched the evil spirit look around for its lost prey. Putting a tight hold around her waist, brought them further into the corner where they couldn't be seen. It entered through the gate, quickly moving its head back and forth on a twisted neck.

Being so close to this man's chest felt his heartbeat that seemed to thrum with hers. Not knowing who it was at first felt him shift in the darkness as he placed his free hand on the concrete. From his fingertips, a natural warm light cascaded down the wall in five streams, briefly illuminating strong features, that traveled across the wall as if hunting the unnatural parasite.

It was then she could breath a little better knowing it was Natsu.

Too busy staring at her protector missed what caused the shadow born creature to shriek in pain, as it ran up alongside the academy walls into the oldest part of the school building long since abandoned.

Lucy saw it for a split second, the light that cascaded down that wall revealed an unnatural eye color, though it didn't register to her yet as tears welled up from fear and disbelief. Her brain immediately went into rationalization but it came out as incoherent mutterings instead.

To calm her ramblings Natsu embraced her by holding her head to him as he caressed her back tenderly. "Shhh it's alright I'm here, I'll explain things later. You're coming with me to my dorm tonight, it's too dangerous out."

Lucy shakily nodded her head up and down.

Taking that as good an answer as any, hunched down to give her a piggyback ride, which she readily accepted.

The walk home was eerily silent as Lucy hid herself within him as much as possible to prevent from seeing, what she was starting to feel everywhere. There were countless evil spirits on the school grounds, why she only now started noticing them, she'll never know and wished this new awareness would go away.

A warm gentle voice put her more at ease. "Don't worry, they won't harm you with me around. We're almost there."

"Mmhmm…"

Natsu felt the night grow colder, there was no moon out plus the cloud cover blocked any stars, beginning to feel uneasy himself ran to his dorm. Eventually they arrived safe and intact. The dorm leader warned him no girls were allowed, but Natsu's explanation of outrunning a homeless person who tried to grab her then stalked them home, left little room for debate. The dorm leader couldn't disagree with his actions and allowed them in. Lucy shuffled down to stand instead of his back, but he held her hand leading them to his room when Gray came up running.

"What happened? I'm about to go to sleep when I hear that Natsu is bringing a girl; causing mayhem. What. Happened…"

Natsu scanned the area seeing everyone on his floor and some others eyeballing him. "Uggghh, both of you get in here." Grabbing both people by the wrist and unceremoniously tugged them to his room; locked his door with a breathy sigh.

Still a little shaken, Lucy sat on Natsu's bed and wrapped herself up within his warm cozy red and black comforter.

Grey not at all too pleased with her state, barked at both of them."Alright, explain."

Doing a double take for Happy, who fortunately was smart enough to hide calmed enough to let the two of them explain as best as they could to their worried and irritated friend.

"I came out after finishing my homework, quickly I might add, around five knowing club was today and waited. I didn't expect for her to get out at nine and fell asleep in a comfortable spot in a corner next to the campus gate. I woke up when I heard her pass by and saw that thing... It was so dark, no wonder Lucy missed me. I'm sorry, I was careless." He was not only apologizing to her, but almost to Grey as well. From all he knew they practically raised each other.

Gray watched them, it had been four months and these two acted like they've known each other for years. "What…thing."

Natsu crossed his arms, placed his weight more to the right and gave a sharp stare in the man's direction. "Grey, have you ever seen an evil spirit so strong its tangible to the naked eye?"

The person in question had to think on it. He has seen strange phenomena, but nothing science couldn't explain. "Those exist? Lucy you don't believe this hogwash, do you?"

"If I hadn't seen it myself, I would agree with you. All I know is it scared the living shit out of me, and I never want to stay that late at school ever again."

"That bad, huh? Well if you say you saw it, I believe you. I'll go make you your favorite hot tea."

"But don't you live on the fifth floor?" They were on the third.

"Nah, don't sweat it Luce, anything for you."

After he left Lucy stared at Natsu, while Natsu sat against his door. There was a silence that lasted a good five minutes till eventually Lucy found her voice.

"Thank you for protecting me like that."

"I wasn't going to let some evil spirit kill you. What kind of man would that make me?"

"… Thank you anyway..."

"Don't sweat it."

A few more minutes passed of awkward silence before Natsu finally thought of an idea. "Well this is the pad, not much but its mine. This is our first sleepover and tomorrow we're playing hooky. It's gonna be a four day weekend baby. I have smore's I bought with some tv dinners. We can do whatever you want." He was more excited than she could have possibly realized. He and his moon only had a few nights together before magic on earthland couldn't sustain their corporeal bodies anymore. Plus, she was here in his bed, he couldn't have wanted for more.

Till Gray walked in with Lucy's jasmine hot tea in one hand, a toiletries bag on one shoulder, backpack on the other, with a sleeping bag and pillow underneath one of his arms. "Lucy, your tea. No way in hell am I letting you sleep in this jackass's room by yourself." He dropped his bedding down that landed with a hardy thud. "Gonna argue with me?"

Oh yes, how Natsu wanted too. The only reason why he didn't was because he missed his old friend and decided that the only way to be completely positive about Gray's identity, currently he is 5 percent positive, would be to spend more time with him.

Giving a false smile and an annoyed eyebrow raise, relented. "I guess it's a mini party. We're also playing hooky tomorrow, we're getting close to all Hallow's Eve. It's going to be dangerous for us this next couple of days. It's better to bunker down and sit tight for a bit."

"...No way in hell are you keeping her here that long with _just_ you two. But a four day weekend sounds awesome...with all four of us. Lucy call Levy." Tossing his cell-phone, which was caught by the girl in transit, continued. "If she wants to come over, I'll go get her."

Lucy thought about it and figured it would be a good idea. If she didn't then Levy would get extremely worried, if she wasn't already. "Okay."

The call lasted a couple of minutes, followed by Gray leaving to pick Levy up from the girls' dorm. Natsu readied the smores and got a Miyazaki film for them to watch. He realized, that he was a movie fan. He binged watched everything he could. Being in the sky, you watch time pass and see the advancements of technology without the ability to interact or enjoy it. To him he felt like an incredibly old man, with simple pleasures, catching up with youngsters.

By the time Natsu got back from his floor's community area, Gray returned with Levy who snagged some things for their extended stay and demanded a detailed info dump. When the two parties involved finished their tale, even Levy was extremely creeped out.

"No wonder you didn't want to go back out tonight, I've seen similar things eeeehhh, creepy. So Natsu, which Miyazaki movie did you pick."

"Spirited Away."

"How ironic of you…"

"Eh, I figured we could use a classic." Even after mastering teen speech patterns, there were still those rare times when he would slip. "When one has a deadly experience of great proportions, it is often wise to use said experience as a way of laughter, so your spirit is more at ease with the ordeal. Fear is of the mind, to no longer be afraid, we laugh instead thus conquering our fear. Doing this we realize what we were so afraid of was no more than an exaggeration of our own minds."

All figures in the room gawked as if he grew eight heads. "What, can't handle old world wisdom?"

Gray smacked him upside the head. "Just shut it and put the movie in."

"Watch it snow brat. I'm still up for that fight from earlier." Just as easily as it had come, he switched back to relaxed patterns and continued to argue back and forth with the man as he turned everything on allowing the disk to load. It wasn't long before the studio Ghibli logo popped up.

Lucy gawked at his hook-up. "Where do you get the money for all this?"

"I work too ya know, got a really good job as a waiter and I don't have what you guys call bills, so I spend it on what I need or want. Plus, I have quite a few scholarships handy. The scholarships pay for the dorm and school supplies and whatever else is needed, and I use the money I earn for everything else."

Everyone looked at him dumbfounded till Levy spoke up. "But…you've only been here four months, I'm impressed you've gotten acclimated so fast. How did you do it?"

"I got a few magic tricks up my sleeve and everyone likes me."

Gray raised his hand, "Can I be excluded from the word "everyone"?" The comment earned him a smack in the face with a pillow from Lucy.

After the first pillow was thrown, s'mores and movies were forgotten as a pillow fight ensued. Eventually everyone tired themselves out, earlier events of the night temporarily forgotten.

* * *

A/N: I've decided that my shout outs for my favorites and follows will be at the end of the chapter to keep from crowding the story. Also I have a couple of reviews:

 **Ashthenerdystargazer:** I sent you a pm :D Also I'm thinking about further explanation for the freakish and outlandish climate change.  
 **  
** **tkitty23:** Thank you :D I actually have more ideas for this one more than my other one. So the other one is on pause for a bit as I continue to write for TOTL.


	6. Chapter 6: Memories: The First Night

A/N: Thank you for your patience. Last year was a nightmare and this year wasn't much better. I also updated all previous chapters to make them flow better. The biggest change was in the last chapter. If you are a new reader welcome! You already got the edited version! For my returning readers you can, if you want too, go back and see where I edited to make things more colloquial, clearer and consistent. I promise all the chaos has a plan.

I also changed the language names from Sun - Helios (ancient Greek for Sun) and Preah short for Preah jan (which is a gorgeous word for moon in Khmer language of Cambodia). It won't change the overall direction of the story it was more for tone and to have a story with more meat. So any edits I make is to refine the overall product. I've gotten to a point, I would rather take my time with each chapter than to rush it and have to make tons of edits like I've been doing. For instance, it took me a week to rewrite this (note I say rewrite because the whole first version got deleted no thanks to fanfiction.) That's research, going back to previous chapters making sure this one lines up with the others. It's actually been a lot of work lol!

A/N: To my new favorites and followers and my ever increasing ghosters, thank you for being as awesome as you are.

A/N: I have seen many stories where the update chapter is just an author's note taking a hiatus, I swore to myself I wouldn't do that. If I post, I post legitimately with a chapter for you all. So you won't have to fret.

I don't own Fairy Tail

* * *

Chapter 6

Memories: The First Night

Even after a long night of pillow fights and junk food, Natsu had a hard time falling asleep. He couldn't stop thinking about the spirit from earlier, finding it eerie it was at the academy. Many spirits come out at night, but very few can become corporal and the ones that have the ability are incredibly rare nowadays. So why at their place of study?

All these kinds of musings and more kept him staring at the ceiling in his black sleeping bag with red inlay on the floor. Almost out of habit his eyes caught the moon's glow creeping into the room and settle like a blanket over none other than Lucy. Ears sharper than a cat tuned in to what sounded like labored breath afterwards.

::**::

 _Space cradled every curve of her body as if she were a newborn babe; when she moved her head, soft ebony hair imprinted with stars shifted as if the cosmos were her tresses. Each step taken was supported by waves of galaxies rippling out underneath the balls of her toes. Approaching closer, the colors in the sky changed from blue to deep and vibrant hues of orange, pink, yellow, red and magenta smeared together. Her heart exploded with anticipation knowing who aided in creating such a spectacle._

 _Walking little by little was no longer an option and she broke into an all-out run while carrying deep purples, hushed pinks and the darkest blues of twilight in her wake._

 _Finally, at her destination she was greeted with the warm hands, tender kisses, strong arms and sensual touches. His voice sent a tingling wave down her neck and spine. Laughter filled her hearing, light blurred her vision, his caring administrations overwhelmed her body to a point where she could taste his eternal longing._

::**::

Through each paced inhale she exhaled with a name almost hidden in her breathing. "Helios..."

It took seconds for Natsu to be at her side. With a heady breath held her hand. "I'm here."

Elation turned into anxiety as her skin began to glow whiter than fresh fallen snow.

::**::

 _A mars black sky broken up by pure ethereal brilliance settled as the last of his rays disappeared for the next several hours in human time. Time passed differently for celestials than for mankind. Minutes for mortals translated into hours for them, hours for humans is days for them, days for mortals are weeks for them, weeks for mortals are months on their plane, months are years, years are decades, decades are eons so on and so forth. She wondered if humans could ever understand that with each passing cycle of twelve hours is a week and a half. That means her and Helios are unable to see each other for almost two weeks straight._

 _Letting her thoughts trail on him and their next passionate filled meeting, curled within the halos of ice crystals, which allowed her form fitting dress made with layers of sheer silk to cascade down to earth creating a reflection against the ocean, as if the sea were made of sparkling diamonds._

 _Her back arched comfortably as she stretched, when she caught sight of a human headed towards her. It wasn't unusual for man to seek her out and call upon her, as none other than the man in the moon. As stupid as they were, some did understand she wasn't a man; but most of her hope for the odd creatures diminished with each passing century._

 _With keen eyes only a celestial could have, followed the figure up to where her dress lay against the arctic waters, when a deep raspy voice belonging to someone no younger than forty spoke._

 _"My fairest maiden...at last..."_

 _Saying nothing listened, she was not called a man this time, even still figured this was one of those seeking enlightenment._

 _"Now, now, do not be so distant with me. I have come all this way for you, you know?"_

 _This was not what was expected. He saw her. Even still, refused to give any implication she heard him and instead shifted the tides beneath the ice under the full moon._

 _"Alright, we will do this the hard way." From underneath his hooded robe made of brown hemp, a hand reached high above, holding the head of a golden serpentine staff imbued with turquoise eyes, making physical contact with the rainbow ribbon that belonged to the north._

 _Most journeyman came to this frozen wasteland testing their bravery or seek spirituality. The aurora borealis is what drew most here to the north, be it dragons, a glimpse of rumored Valkyrie, a promise by God, healthy childbirth or (her favorite) a sea spirits belonging to loved ones long since passed, peacefully flying through the sky._

 _None of those were true, the borealis was her wedding dress she wore when she married Helios. Instead of tossing the dress away, turned it into a blanket for all of mankind to gawk at in wonder. However, the most guarded secret had been that it was a bridge connecting her and Natsu to earth. It would open once every five-hundred years; but very select few were imbued with that knowledge and as far as she knew they were all dead._

 _Alright he got her attention. "Who dare comes before me enshrouded in mystery, demanding my attention. Reveal yourself at once."_

 _Putting his hands in front of him in defense, backed away from the icy shore a bit. "I should have known your tempestuous nature would be first to greet me. I came here to talk." Taking his left hand reached to flip the covering away from his head revealing greasy black tresils, cracked eyeliner that stretched from underneath his eyes to his temples, his eyes so dark it was almost as if he didn't have any color except for the whites behind his irises and hollowed cheeks from hunger. "I am Serataph descendent of the school of Rekhmire. I am the last who holds the ancient knowledge beyond our old and dead deities."_

 _Rekhmire. Now he was a madman. She held a secret wish, praying that out of all the ones who obtained such deep secrets, he would remain in his tomb along with his followers within his crypt of curses. Knowing he was_ that _man's student, gave her no comfort. Everyone who followed him, fell victim to their own magic and were doomed for eternity._

::**::

Lucy broke into a sweat as fever set in. "مخه جزمة. (moxxu gazma.)"

He had to stare at her and at first silently laughed. From what it sounded; it was Arabic. What threw him off was what was said. Despite how terrible the situation was, he couldn't help but miss the insults she used to throw. And she was particularly fond of that one. Natsu realized it was what had been currently spoken in Egypt as modern Arabic, even though the origin was ancient Egyptian; but the meaning was still there. The only problem with this insult was Rekhmire had been the only one she would call "as low and as dirty as a shoe", even after the sorcerer's passing.

"Psst Happy, get over here!"

Happy came from under Natsu's blanket he'd been using and rubbed closed eyes with a tiny blue paw. "Hnnnn Natsuuu, what is it?" Flying upward inspected Lucy's forehead and forced a whisper as he pulled his paw away in shock. "Wah!"

Quickly covering the cat look-a-like's mouth with a large hand, took the other and used his index to shush the small creature with wings. "I need you in proximity for this one. I have to cast an enchantment to see what's going on inside that head of hers. But first..." He snapped his fingers to erase the invisibility spell. "I need that lowered; it's going to take a bit of power."

"Is it a one time use?"

Rubbing his hands together created a tiny flame that flittered ever so delicately, with a few quick movements reduced it to the tips of his index, middle and thumb. He balanced it with a precision you would expect from a surgeon onto her temples. "Nah, but I only have two uses left." Casting a side glance added, "I needed a being from our plane close so this would work. It takes up a lot of energy and magic. Despite me being me, this is one of those rare occasions I need you to be near." As he finished speaking the flames disappeared within the locations he touched.

"I've never seen you so...tender...it's almost creepy."

"Shut it. It's starting."

A little, yellow, triple centered circle with various patterns hovered over the sleeping girl's head, almost blending in with her hair and surroundings. It turned in various directions before the very center turned into a mirror as images shifted about forming a window.

Happy and Natsu peered into it.

::**::

 _Serateph didn't appreciate her retort upon hearing who's house he belonged to. It was downright cruel, he respected his house, learned from his house, thrived on its sand, the brick... everything. He even raided the tomb of his father figure, believing that if he went far enough could become a deity himself. "I would watch what you say if I were you."_

 _She had just about enough of this being. Fortunately, he didn't realize how late it had become, nor how soon her husband would be here. "Are you threatening me mortal?"_

 _Brushing his ragged cloak off raised an eyebrow thinking this might be his chance. "On the contrary, I have an offer you cannot refuse."_

 _This bothered her. He was able to touch the bridge testing to see if it was close to opening, put her on human time, demand he have her attention and now spoke with a threat. She needed to buy time till her husband arrived. "What is it you need?"_

 _Ecstatic, pulled out several items: a strand of horse hair from the finest stallion in the wild, rice wine blessed by Buddhists, the last remains of stegosaurus skin, a rock that glowed crimson, he pulled the snow from where her gown barely reached shore, a bit of his own hair and slime from a rare exposit in the southern mountains. "My proposition is one night with me, and your secret about the bridge of lights will be kept._ "

::**::

Her memories of the past. Their past. Hearing that beast ask to sleep with Preah one night boiled him from the inside out. If it weren't for the fact he had guests and Lucy there, he would have burned everything; but as it stood emitting such a radiation, nobody in that room would have survived except for him and Happy.

::**::

 _The tone in Serateph's voice chilled her, as if an unwanted scorpion gently crawled up her leg. Careful not to show any emotion checked for dawn. A short breath of relief filled her. Her shift was almost over. That was no ordinary staff. "Where did you obtain that scepter? It was Rakhmire's, it was supposed to have been destroyed before he was mummified." Just a bit more and she would be free._

 _Proudly petting the gold snake with long iron teeth, hummed. "My teacher gave it to me. I was last of his students, so why should I not have it!" Delighted about telling the story began to ramble, going into every tiny detail on how he managed to obtain it from the seven-hundred-year-old sarcophagus._

 _Inwardly rubbing her temples moaned to herself without breaking the facade, humans were indeed idiots. There was a reason all the spirits said to destroy that very staff. Tuning him out glanced to her left, and there he was in all his wonderful warmth. Incidentally his presence forced the spell to be broken and put her back on celestial time._

 _"And I snatched it!" Just at the end of his story he noticed daylight. The burlap man panicked and frantically attempted to pick up his spell items before the sunrise could touch them. "You tricked me!" The utter betrayal was the most honest emotion he revealed the entire night. Glaring death at the sun, seethed with anger and hatred. With his hood back on retreated into the forest, leaving no sign of his presence ever being there._

 _"Preah?" What he didn't expect was to have her throw herself at him in an embrace. "What is going on?"_

 _Straightening herself up within his arms announced. "I have decided to go visit the Highlands."_

 _Chuckling put his hands on his hips and grinned. "Miss your monster pet, eh?"_

 _Stuffing her nose up in the air, turned her back to him. "What would you know."_

 _It turned him all sorts of directions when she decided to be difficult. "How about I give you a monster pet?" Earning him a punch to the face. "Man, I love those punches."_

 _Spinning on her haunches, twisted and stuck her tongue out."You are what humans call a pervert. No special joining this morning."_

 _Wanting to chase after her, but knowing in their positions couldn't, shouted at her retreating figure instead. "That is cruel! Forcing me to do without for a week and a half!"_

::**::

His knee twitched in agitation. Her memories were returning, the only problem was the effect it could have on her psyche if they return too fast. Feeling her temperature again crossed his arms and sat on the end of the bed. Happy fell asleep before the magical window closed and to make sure he wasn't seen, Natsu snapped his finger to turn the invisibility spell back on, just in time for the morning sun to stream in.

The snap was loud enough to rouse Gray, who also noticed three sets of quilts on top of Lucy. "Why is she under all that?"

"Fever, an unusually high one."

Levy hearing the hushed tones and whispers, blinked her bleary eyes awake. "Who has a fever?" Finally having her eyes adjust saw the mound of fluff. "Hmn, Lu?" Investigating herself, walked over to feel her friend's forehead. "If it gets any higher, we take her to an E.R..."

Gray stretched allowing his back to crack in several places. "I second that."

"No way in hell am I moving her. She stays here...with me." There were three things they didn't understand about why she was having a fever. Her magic was beginning to awaken, he was the only one in the universe that could make sure her mortal body could withstand it and she had a typical cold. "Look moving her could make it worse."

Levy sighed. "We're staying too then, but if this lasts more than a couple of days, we're taking her. No arguments."

Still a bit groggy Gray scratched his head yawning then emphasized her point. "Yeah. Don't care, if it means her safety, I'll murder you."

Natsu grumbled. " Oi, like hell I would put her life at risk..."

The other two in the room looked back and forth to each other as if having a silent conversation. In truth Levy and Gray have known each other for quite some time and both would protect their little blondie, even if it costed them their lives.

"Oi…Are you two just gonna stare at each other or what...?"

Levy sighed. "Give us a minute Natsu, I need to speak with Gray." With that she pulled said man out of the room.

In retort he just looked away and huffed after he watched Gray unceremoniously stumble about as his arm had been practically yanked off by a tiny girl. Breathing deeply blew out a little flame.

Keeping his powers under control had been no easy feat. He noticed it was easier if he let off the excess in his magic here and there. The parlor tricks, as he called them, like the invisibility spell for Happy, concealing some features of his appearance, memory altering and a bit of influence; like when he had to calm Levy down before she tried to beat him; all those were more akin to spells rather than his raw nature. Since he was Helios, breathing exercises over the past three months helped keep his fire under check. Mostly. If anyone looked behind his enormous entertainment system, they would notice a lot of scorching. Which is ninety percent why he had such a set up. Under his bed was the worst of it, any more uncontrolled power releases and he's going to end up crashing through the floor down to the next level.

He was already on his fifth bed.

::**::

They ended up inside Gray's dorm room.

"Listen Gray, I have a feeling we should convince our dear principal to let us have a co-ed dorm."

"Ah, I was actually thinking along the same lines." Shoving his hands in his pockets leaned against his door frame and closed his eyes deep in thought. " Especially after last year..." Trailing off made another note. "He's highly protective of our Lucy." He glanced over to Levy, who was standing in front of him, to see what she thought on the matter. "Do you think he's dangerous?"

Blue grey eyes made direct contact to his. "I think he likes her. More like love, it feels deep to me. That's where the protection comes from, I think we should monitor him a bit more before making a final decision."

"You've been looking into him for a while now. Find anything?"

Tired of standing, opted to sit on his bed that had been placed as far from the window as possible. The frame squeaked as she adjusted herself to a more comfortable position. "That's the weird part, it's like he doesn't exist outside our school. I've looked through countless databases, hacked into the police files, went as far as to think maybe he was foreign born away from our continent. Nothing outside of Dormhan, it's like he popped out from nowhere."

He thought about her report, it further increased his uneasiness. "Is she in danger from him?" Asking the second time, he needed to hear a firmer answer. Sure, he had loved Lucy, even had bubbling feelings for her at one point. Though he soon realized they were the least compatible of a pair, platonic as family as they may be, he'd rather eat dog shit than let anything happen to her.

"That day he picked her up from her dorm, I sensed no ill will from him and was comfortable enough to leave them alone. If we really didn't trust him, why did we leave those two alone?"

"You're saying without noticing it, we've already formed a deep bond with him..." He moved next to Levy on the bed.

"I think so yes. I think the truth about him will reveal itself in time. I believe our trio formed into four."

Laying back behind Levy on the soft surface covered in an ice themed bed set, stretched a bit again. The hard floor caused his back to ache a bit. "So now what?"

She opted to follow suit and placed herself next to Gray. "I think us four being apart is a bad idea."

"After a nap we head over to Markarov?

Slipping under the covers she agreed. "I think Natsu can take care of Lucy."

With that Gray made the call. "Yo, Natsu. Levy and I will be back in about..." Staring at his cell phone clock, calculated the nap plus the visit to Markarov and making sure Levy could grab more things from her dorm for a couple more days at Natsu's. "...Four and half hours, keep our girl alive, will you?" He had to pull the phone away from his ear as Natsu shouted insults at him for insinuating he'd let anything happen to her. With that Grey hung up, situating himself so he and Levy were back to back.

::**::

After being hung up on Natsu grumbled. "What in the hell could take them _four and a half hours_?!" Snapping his fingers released Happy's invisibility spell as he paced back and forth. "Happy wake up."

Happy uncurled from Lucy's feet and flew groggily towards his master. "Why are you so grumpy..."

"See if you can find ginger."

Happy looked down slightly crestfallen. "Can I have fish?"

Natsu then reflected how sharp he may have sounded; acting more like a pharaoh to a servant than a friend. He rubbed in between his eyes uncharacteristically, "I'm sorry Happy." He rummaged through his freezer from the mini fridge and pulled out a small frozen fish for Happy to chew on while he went on his hunt. "Take this fish with you," Next he pulled out his pouch full of tikkers and pulled out three blue pieces and two red pieces. "Bring these with you in case you can't find the root in the wild."

"Yay fish!" He eyeballed the strange pieces of blue and red. "Huh? What are these?"

"Ah shit, I never explained them to you. It's the currency here, blue is five pieces and red is ten pieces."

Tiny blue paws held the red one up to the sun. It reminded him of stain glass windows. "They're pretty! Do we have to spend it?"

"Only if you can't find ginger in the wild."

Flying on his back ogled at the ten-piece tikker. "If I don't use one of the red ones, can I keep it?"

Hearing that the red one was his companions favorite, warmed his heart. "Yes, you can keep a red one."

Unbeknownst to either of them, Lucy saw the flying blue cat through a feverish fog and quickly fell back to sleep.

::**::

Two hours later their alarm went off. Gray found himself with Levy snuggled next to him, he picked up his phone and squinted at the screen. "Hey, time to get up."

She grumbled and smacked him with a pillow.

"Don't give me that, I'm hungry and we got shit to do."

Rolling on her back, gave her friend a mock glare. "Ugh fine I'll get dressed and then we'll see Markarov."

"Hurry up."

Getting out of bed walked out the door and waved him off. "Yes, yes."

It was forty minutes later when Levy returned. She had gone to her dorm to shower, change and pick up more clothes for her and Lucy. It was in these cases where she appreciated the walk to men's dorm being only ten minutes. "Alright let's go."

::**::

Gray took off his sweater. "It's always so hot, even in autumn."

"All I ask is you don't walk into Markarov's office naked." She gave him a once over at his state of dress. "If it weren't for me you would have lost your scarf, your jacket and your outer sweater."

He casually took off his last shirt.

"Damn it Gray... I'm NOT your hamper."

He patted her on the head with a grin. "I can't help it, I'm hot even when it's cold."

"Hmph, it could be below zero and you would still say it's warm...while the rest of us die from hyperthermia."

"I think that's the only time when I'm comfortable..."

"You can't be normal."

::**::

Markarov bobbed his head up and down while in his wheelchair when his door slammed open as a snot bubble popped; causing him to hit his forehead in the middle of a nod at the sudden bang. Looking up to see what caused the disturbance witnessed a blurred version of two of his students: one practically naked and the other tugging at him to retreat with all her might.

"Gray...you have nothing on except boxers! Get back here..." Her strength gave out and she fumbled backwards. "Ooowww...I said NOT to go in naked..."

Glancing back at her motioned. "I'm not. See? Boxers."

Rubbing her head rolled her eyes and threw his clothes at his back, they slid off him and landed into an unkempt pile.

Markarov was already annoyed at the display but expected no less from these two. "Gray, Levy what do I owe you the pleasure?"

Walking up crossed his arms with confidence. "We want to share a dorm room."

Old wrinkled eyes stared, then continued to stare, looked away for a second only to blink and stare again. Sighing used weather worn hands to pick-up old-fashioned glasses with silver frames, cleaned them using the corner of his green shawl draped over his lap, then placed them on his face to see better. Leaning forward folded his hands together and settled them on an old cherry wooden desk. "And why should I allow this?"

Feeling dainty hands on his shoulder told him to let her speak.

"Principal Markarov, we feel it would be for our benefit that the girls and guys stay together in one dorm."

His long white beard and mustache moved to a frown in disapprovement, his eyes said it all. "You know the rules. There are reasons why men and women are separate. I simply cannot allow it."

Levy took a different approach thinking she might be able to get what they wanted if she expressed if it was for safety.

"Sir, with all due respect we feel it would be in our benefit since Lucy was attacked last night by something. We feel if it was us four: Lucy, Natsu, Grey and me with maybe three others of our choosing, we would be much safer. We fear a repeat of last year." It was an unspoken rule at the academy. Nobody talks about the disappearances, unless one feels it's happening again.

Markarov rested his eyes in thought. He knew about the attack, Mest informed him. They were in the beginning of October. Maybe it would be for the best since a student was already targeted. "I see..." Most of the students here have no family to speak of, or their guardians aren't in any position to take care of them. The academy was meant for students with excellent grades and who had no place to go. Wheeling from his desk to one of the book cases that aligned the giant office, pulled on a maroon spine to the far right, off a shelf mounted next to the door. It was on the academy, the first principal, the state and all the rules. "I know without even opening this, there has never been a co-ed dorm. For good reason I might add."

Levy and Gray saw disappointment settle within the other.

Watching the two again with a raised eyebrow added, "But..." Which earned him perked ears. "I don't see why we can't get approval this year. This is our most dangerous time after all. How many students went missing last year?"

Gray answered with a morbid tone to his voice. "Seven. Seven students."

Nodding in approval for the attentive answer, nudged further. "And tell me; what happened before each student went missing?"

Seeing as how Levy felt uncomfortable with this topic, again it was Gray who responded. "Sir you know more than-"

With a more authoritative tone interrupted him. "What happened?"

Not wanting to relive last year, let out an exasperated breath. "Each one reported an attack and then went missing within the same week of their individual report. Four females, three males. Students stopped going missing after the end of October. A year ago."

Shifting his glasses up on a large nose, sniffed. "Correct. The first two happened within a day of each other on Thursday and Friday during the first week of October. During the third week, we had one go missing on Monday, then Thursday and finally on Sunday. The last week of October two more students vanished on the twenty- ninth on Monday and the thirty-first on Wednesday. There's a predator around these parts, though the bodies were never found I feel that they are out there somewhere."

Levy finally spoke. "What does all this have to do with our request."

" _Everything_." Opening the book, he grabbed, flipped through nearly half the pages before finding the condition he was looking for. "Per this Academy's rules and having to abide by the laws of our district: the only time a co-ed dorm is permitted, is when our students' lives are in danger. It says here that the conditions for terms of endangerment are: If only one student faces such endangerment; it shall not be permitted and instead sent back to his/her family. If it is two students in a relationship, they may be not only denied but expelled if accusations are found to be false; if accusations are proven true, they shall also be sent home. If three students come forward with such endangerment; it shall not be permitted, instead they shall be removed from the premises till the claimed report has been investigated. If the report has been proven false, they shall be expelled. If it is multiple students exceeding the amount with similar reports of both male and female gender following a previous claim; then a co-ed dormitory is allowed."

The two gawked at the lengthy amount of conditions. "Even if three students came forward they wouldn't be allowed?"

Markarov studied Levy at her inquiry. "If three students came forward with a problem, and the problem is deemed baseless it won't be allowed. If three students come forward with a problem and it has been proven false, wanting to do it for selfish reasons; it will be denied, and they could be expelled for falsifying a report. If three students come forward with a problem and the problem has merit, then our district will send them home instead till the danger has passed."

Gray now dressed in his clothes with his jacket and sweater around his waist prodded. "So how does that give us a chance?"

He rolled back to his desk while grinning ear to ear. "It gives you a chance...because it's an eerily similar situation and you're proposing to find students who have been attacked. It's too big and I've already sent four other students home due to claims of an attack by a mysterious figure." During his report, he rotated his wheelchair over to the window with deep wooden blinds and pulled the string to let light in. "At this rate if something isn't done to protect our students, we'll have to shut down the academy for good."

The taller of the two friends groaned out of frustration and rubbed the back of his black haired head. "Old man, what do you want us to do."

Levy punched his arm in a scolding manner. "Gray..."

Markarov just grumbled. "After the serial kidnappings last year, I built a dorm two stories high. The only way in is the first floor. The second floor is where the rooms, bathrooms and kitchen are. The ones who live here will walk to school together, walk to the dorm together and are not allowed to stay out at school past five and will be locked in the dorm with a policeman standing at guard no later than seven. Due to the curfew all outside activities will be finished by that time. If a student fails to do so, it will be their first warning of three. After three not only is that student banned from the dorm, but depending on the number of students left, everyone else will either relocate to their original dorm or depending on severity be sent home. Everything you will need, shall be provided. Think of this like protective custody."

Levy and Gray felt winded, but it was Gray who spoke first. "Let me get this straight, our roommates have to be ones that have been attacked?"

Their principal nodded in affirmative. "Yes. Though Lucy and Natsu described a homeless man, the previous reports of last year were not so different. Be it they didn't know how to describe the attack, or so little was seen that it was the only thing they could think of. This year the reports are random but for safety we sent the other four students' home. Lucy and Natsu were both there last night, so they will be the first to move into the dorm. Since it was you two who proposed the idea, you two will be moving in next. I need three more students. If you can find three more students, I will get everything started. I will designate a dorm leader of my choosing."

It was Levy who spoke, almost afraid of the answer. "And... who is our dorm leader."

A wicked gleam sparked in Markarov's eyes. It felt as if they shrunk, while he became ten times bigger, filling the entire office. His voice boomed overwhelming their hearts with dread and anxiety as he laughed. "Erza Scarlett."

::**::

Grey was the first to freak after leaving Markarov's office. "Erza...we're gonna die!"

Levy did her best to calm him down. "It... might not be so bad..."

Shuddering as if the devil himself had been after him retorted. "It's Erza we're talking here. She's going to feed me to some beast for breakfast. Forget the serial killer, we'll be killed before the first day is done."

Rolling her eyes at his antics looked to the sky. "Let's go tell Natsu and Lu-chan."

::**::

The info dump they gave him, was not what Natsu expected. Serial kidnappings, how they got the dorm etc. It was so much information he had to pause to process. "When I first got here... why did nobody mention there was something like that going on? Not even Lucy said anything, I thought this was a pretty peaceful place." In the middle of feeling slighted a small cough broke through bitter thoughts. Blocking the others view kneeled in front of Lucy to steal some of the heat from her fever by using his fingertips; till a familiar warm luminescence flowed into them, signaling that he was successful.

He pondered on where Happy could be with that ginger. It had been sometime. After his ministrations finally commented. "We have to deal with this Erza?"

Levy spoke informatively. "Yes. We used the version you two gave to Mest so we could get the approval."

After thinking about their story with reports from the previous year Gray smacked his fist into his palm. "All the reports that were heard before they disappeared varied from homeless man, to man in a hood, a mugger, a pedophile...they were always different." Fixing his gaze to Levy noted that she had a similar conclusion.

"That they could all have been this, whatever it was that attacked Lu?"

Frowning, Natsu turned to shake his head at them. "I think our situation, and their situation is...unrelated."

Levy moved over to where Natsu had been kneeling in order to gage why he thought so. "What's your basis?"

"I'm twenty percent positive that these serial vanishings you speak of are human done. If mine and theirs are related...just trust me when I say we are in for a world of hurt."

The answer caught Levy and Gray by surprise. This wasn't the first time he acted like he knew more than he let on.

Right before Gray decided to beat Natsu senseless for withholding information, Happy came in through the open window. "NATSSUUUU! I FOUND ITTTT!"

That's when it dawned on Natsu that he forgot to put the invisibility spell back on.

* * *

 **Mezatron:** I'm so happy you love it so much lol! I'm sorry it took so long to update. But this is a heafty 6,060 chapter that took a week to write lololol I hope you guys enjoy it :D


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